General Nutrition

To get the most out of your life you have to put the right stuff into your body.

That means making sure your intake is as healthy as possible. Balance, rather than faddy diets, is the key to maintaining a healthy weight and maximising your performance at work, play or in the gym.

Please click here to jump to our guides about Protein, Carbohydrates, Fats, Vitamins and Minerals, Fluids or How often to eat

Protein

Proteins are essential as half of your body weight is made up of protein, including muscles, organs, skin and hair. Protein is needed to build and repair body tissue. It also slows down the digestive process which is key to controlling blood-sugar levels and keeping you alert, feeling full and satisfied. It’s also used to build, maintain and repair your hair, skin and nails.

Red meat and dairy foods are good sources of protein, but they can also be loaded with saturated fats. The best sources are meats trimmed of any visible fat, skinless poultry, seafood (not battered or breaded), low-fat dairy produce, eggs, soya-based products and beans.

You should eat some protein in every meal. If you want to maintain lean muscle or bulk up you need to make sure there is enough in your diet - if you don’t your body will break down muscle tissue to convert into energy. We generally need 0.8g of protein per kilo body weight per day - about 50g daily for the average person - more if you work out frequently. If you’re worried you are not getting enough or are looking for a low-fat, low-carb source of protein, try Bio-Synergy Whey Better which is easy to drink and tastes great too.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are our main source of energy and should account for half our calorie intake. They’re essential for good health and are found in grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, pulses and dairy products. The energy gained from carbohydrates is used by muscles and the brain.

Carbohydrates often contain starch and sugar, but also fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, all of which play a critical role in good health and help protect against major diseases such as heart disease, stroke and cancer.

Steer clear of carbs with simple sugars like cakes, pastries and chocolate which can lead to weight-gain and fluctuations in blood sugar-levels, making you crave more of the same or irritable and tired. Instead choose complex carbohydrates like oats, wholegrains and beans. If you have a sweet-tooth and need your chocolate ‘fix’ try Bio-Synergy GI Bars which are low in simple sugars and contain protein to help keep blood-sugar levels stable too.

If you are exercising, carbs are critical to how well you will perform as they provide the energy you need to make it happen. As you are constantly burning carbs while exercising you’re depleting your stores so sip Bio-Synergy’s Liquid Energy to replace carbohydrates and keep yourself hydrated for maximum performance.

Fats

Fats are traditionally the villain but some are essential to your diet and your digestive process. Fat does not necessarily make you fat - the amount you eat does. Your body loves it because it doesn't have to waste much energy in converting fat into fat cells - which is why it’s so easy to put on weight!

It's not just how much fat we eat but also the type of fat which can have a serious impact on our health, particularly heart problems, strokes, some major cancers, such as prostate and colon, and even Alzheimer's.

The ones to avoid are called 'hydrogenated' or 'trans' fats - you’ll find them in cakes, biscuits and snacks. The other bad fats are saturated which come from animal sources and are always solid at room temperatures e.g. butter and fatty meats.

Good fats are vegetable-based oils like corn and sunflower, which are also known as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. The best are those highest in monounsaturated fats like olive and rapeseed oils. The two exceptions are coconut and palm oil (often called tropical oils), which are the only vegetable oils that are saturated fats.

You won’t find any hydrogenated fats in Bio-Synergy products and our GI Sense Bars will fill the place of ‘treats’ in your diet without the high fat content associated with other bars.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are essential for life. They’re found in food derived from both animals and plants. Called micronutrients, because the amounts that are required for normal functioning are tiny, vitamins perform very important tasks. From helping us digest our food and fight infection to manufacturing new cells throughout the body, vitamins and minerals help our bodies operate at peak efficiency.

With rare exceptions, vitamins cannot be manufactured by the body, and must be obtained from food or supplements. Since most people have such busy lives and don’t always fit in regular nutritious meals, and because of changes in farming methods, supplements are increasingly important. Severe vitamin deficiencies will lead to serious illnesses and even a modest drop in certain vitamins can have a profound effect on health.

There are two types of vitamins: fat soluble and water soluble. When you eat foods that contain fat-soluble vitamins, the vitamins are stored in fatty tissues in your body and liver. They then wait until your body needs them for a few days, or in the case of some vitamins, up to six months. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are all fat-soluble.

Water-soluble vitamins are different as they don't get stored as much in your body. Instead, they travel through your bloodstream and whatever your body doesn't use comes out when you urinate. As a result these need to be replaced often and include vitamins C and B - which are essential to good health and wellbeing.

Because we can all do with more, Bio-Synergy have developed a range of multi-vitamins like Sally Gunnell’s ONE Multivitamin. To make sure you can regularly top-up your vitamin C intake we created the first vitamin-enriched mouth strips which melt on the tongue and come in a tiny, easy to carry resealable case.

Fluids

Liquid aids the digestive process, helps flush out waste and toxins and is part of a healthy diet. Being hydrated is essential to feeling alert and living an active life. If we’re dehydrated by just 2% our mental and physical performance can drop a massive 20%. Try to have a 250ml glass of water before each meal or snack and keep a bottle of water with you if you are travelling or at work. Coffee or drinks containing caffeine should be avoided as caffeine stimulates the production of insulin and your appetite. Tea, especially green tea, is ok in moderation.

Fruit drinks/juices are high in sugar but can be a good way of topping up your fruit and vegetable quota if you are on the move or don’t particularly like eating the whole food. Dilute juices with water to make them more thirst-quenching and increase your overall fluid intake. Choose a quality fruit juice if you do this, rather than additive-packed squashes. Try mixing Bio-Synergy Marvel Hero’s Smoothies with water.

If you are very active then an isotonic drink could be just what you need. Such drinks are absorbed more quickly into the blood stream, hydrating you faster than water alone. Bio-Synergy’s award winning Liquid Energy is a perfectly balanced drink which will hydrate you quickly and give you an energy boost to boot.

How often to eat

Eating three main meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner and three snacks: mid-morning, mid-afternoon and before bedtime keep blood sugars regulated and allow your body to perform at its optimum level.

Breakfast is the most important meal because most of us won't have eaten since dinner the night before. If you miss breakfast you won’t have eaten for many hours and will later load up on snacks and pig out at other meals. Porridge is the ultimate breakfast for all the family. If you struggle to eat early in the morning why not try a smoothie made with Bio-Synergy’s Whey Better, milk and fruit?

Most of us eat lunch outside the home, so eating healthily can be a challenge. Packed lunches are a wonderful option as you can be sure you are getting your balance of proteins, carbs and fresh foods. Bio-Synergy’s Marvel Hero’s Smoothies and Fruit Bars are great for lunchboxes and each count as one of your portions of fruit and vegetables for the day.

A typical dinner consists of three parts: meat, seafood or meat substitutes; potato, pasta or rice; and vegetables. And whenever possible add a side salad.

Try to eat balanced snacks, i.e. those containing some carbs, fat and protein. These could include nuts, fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy foods or nutrition bars. Our GI Bars contain a perfect balance of protein and carbohydrates and are easy to carry too.